Last year wasn’t a big year for video games. It was a freakin’ HUGE year for video games.

From the Old West epic Red Dead Redemption 2— which raked in $725 million in its first three days of release, more than Avengers: Infinity War’s entire domestic box office run — to year-end hit Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo Switch (Elon Musk’s favourite character is Zero Suit Samus, in case you were wondering), 2018 was a year of one blockbuster game after another.

The final year of whatever we’re calling this decade — the twenty-teens? — is shaping up to be no less bountiful. Here’s a look at the year ahead in video games — the sure things and (mostly) safe bets, the sequels we’re on the fence about and the longshots that we hope make an appearance before the year is over.

THE SURE THINGSKingdom Hearts III (Jan. 29 for PS4, Xbox One) It’s been nearly 13 years since Kingdom Hearts II captured the imagination of Final Fantasy and Disney fans — while also baffling them with its convoluted plot — and they’re dying to see the next chapter in this wild mash-up. This time around, the heroic Sora will team up with characters from Frozen, Toy Story, and Big Hero 6.

Anthem (Feb. 22 for PS4, Xbox One, PC) Edmonton-based BioWare Corp., creators of the Mass Effect franchise, are behind this sprawling sci-fi game that will have players donning Iron Man-like armored suits to battle monstrous aliens. We just hope parent company EA doesn’t ruin this one with microtransactions. Lookin’ at you, Star Wars Battlefront II.

The Outer Worlds (TBA for PS4, Xbox One, PC) A surprise announcement made at last month’s Game Awards, this role-playing game is being developed by Obsidian, the folks who gave us Fallout: New Vegas. (Or, as some fans call it, “the last Fallout game that was actually good.”) Sassy, smooth-talking characters in a satirical, sci-fi world? Sold.

Pokemon RPG (TBA for Nintendo Switch) We don’t even know its title yet, but you can bet the first true Pokemon role-playing game for the Switch will have Pokefans lined up out the door. With the huge success of Pokemon Go and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu/Eevee — and anticipation for May’s Detective Pikachu, starring Ryan Reynolds — the pocket monsters have never been hotter.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (March 22 for PS4, Xbox One, PC) You might not have heard of this game yet, but it’s being developed by FromSoftware, the same folks behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne — and really, what else do you need? Other than it’s set in medieval Japan and stars a sword-wielding assassin with a cool prosthetic arm.

THE (MOSTLY) SAFE BETSDays Gone (April 26, for PS4) Just what we need, another post-apocalyptic, open-world action game pitting humans against zombie-like enemies. But this Sons-of-Anarchy-meets-The-Walking-Dead adventure looks intriguing so far, and is by the same folks who gave us Syphon Filter.

Animal Crossing (TBA, for Nintendo Switch) Like the as-yet untitled Pokemon RPG, not much has been revealed about the first Animal Crossing instalment for the Nintendo Switch. But this adorable town-building series has a passionate, built-in fanbase, and expectations are justifiably high.

Devil May Cry 5 (March 8, for PS4, Xbox One, PC) Fans of this over-the-top franchise are stoked for its return, although the Devil May Cry series sometimes strays from hyperactive humour to eye-rolling cheese. Still, if the action is solid and the visuals are dazzling — which they should be — it won’t matter.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps (TBA, for Xbox One, PC) While not as splashy as some of the big-budget action games on this list, this gorgeous platformer is bursting with lush visuals and exotic worlds. It’s the sequel to the lovely Ori and the Blind Forest, but the developers are promising a whole bunch of cool new elements in this one.

Metro Exodus (Feb. 15, for PS4, Xbox One, PC) Video games just love the post-apocalypse, don’t they? This third instalment in the Metro series takes the action out of the Moscow subway tunnels and shifts it to a sprawling, open world, full of all manner of radioactive mutant beasties.

THE COULD-GO-EITHER-WAY SEQUELSGears 5 (TBA, for Xbox One, PC) Microsoft’s Gears of War franchise kicked off a new trilogy with 2016’s well-received Gears of War 4, focusing on a new generation of thick-necked soldiers with chainsaw rifles. This next installment will be the first to feature a woman as the central character, but will that be enough to offset the overly familiar run-’n-gun gameplay?

Luigi’s Mansion 3 (TBA, for Nintendo Switch) Nintendo is shaping up to have another killer year, and we always give them credit for dusting off and resurrecting their older franchises. That said, was anybody really asking for another ghostbustin’ Luigi’s Mansion game? This one’s a definite wait and see.

Rage 2 (May 14, for PS4, Xbox One, PC) This post-apocalyptic action game looks utterly bonkers — and weirdly beautiful — but it’s the sequel to a 2011 title that didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Plus, it’s coming from publisher Bethesda, who are still stinging from the backlash against Fallout 76.

The Division 2 (March 15, for PS4, Xbox One, PC) Ubisoft’s first attempt at mixing a shooter with a massively multiplayer online game had some great ideas, but players seemed to lose interest quickly. We’re hoping this sequel — which shifts the action from snowy NYC to sunny Washington, DC — fares better.

Crackdown 3 (Feb. 15, for Xbox One, PC) The original Crackdown was a gem, blending the open-world mayhem of Grand Theft Auto with sly, super-powered cops. The second game wasn’t as good, and this third instalment has been hobbled by delays. Will it hurdle these obstacles like super-cop Terry Crews leaping over a building? We’ll find out soon.

GAMES WE HOPE MAKE IT OUT THIS YEAR (BUT PROBABLY WON’T)The Last of Us Part II This PS4-exclusive sequel to 2013’s grim and unforgettable adventure has been many years in the making, and while developer Naughty Dog hasn’t yet committed to a release date, this year isn’t out of the question. Fingers tightly crossed.

Cyberpunk 2077 A demo of this gritty, futuristic role-playing game blew away attendees at last summer’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles. While there are rumours that Witcher developer CD Projekt Red is eying a late 2019 release, we’d be surprised to see it before 2020.

Star Wars – Jedi: Fallen Order The creators of the awesome but underappreciated Titanfall series are working on a lightsaber-heavy Star Wars adventure, set between the events of Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) and Episode IV (A New Hope.) It’s got a tentative 2019 release date, but not much else is known just yet.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 Ubisoft’s sprawling sci-fi epic is almost impossibly ambitious in scope, and it’s hard to imagine it making it out by the end of this year. But it looks incredible, and it would be a wonderful surprise to see the game make an appearance in 2019.